‘After nearly annihilating the planet, our relatives are friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer to ruin than at any other point in recent history. This happened after an American surveillance aircraft found that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK directed a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days filled with impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, casting humanity toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were the United States considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it edged closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn